1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a cartridge loading apparatus for loading a cartridge which receives an information recording medium therein into a housing of, for example, an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In recent information processing devices, a small laser spot is formed on a light-reflecting surface of an information recording medium, such as an optical disk or a video disk, to form pits corresponding to input information, thereby recording this information. A laser beam focused on the light-reflecting surface is reflected to a photosensor to reproduce desired information.
An information processing apparatus of this type has advantages of high recording density and high fidelity reproduction. When the surface of the information recording medium is scratched or dusty, or is contamination with fingerprints or other foreign material, however, the optical path of the laser beam is obstructed. As a result, recording and reproduction cannot be properly performed.
A conventional information recording medium, such as an optical disk or a video disk, must be manually removed from a protective case as a cartridge. An operator must carefully load the medium on a loading section, such as a turntable, in the information processing apparatus so as to prevent the medium from being damaged. For this reason, use of the information recording medium results in cumbersome operation.
Another type of information recording medium cartridge has been proposed to protect the information recording medium. The cartridge with the information recording medium therein is inserted in the information processing apparatus, and only the cartridge is removed after the medium is loaded. In this manner, the information recording medium is left in the information processing apparatus. In order to withdraw the information recording medium after reproduction, the empty cartridge is inserted in the information processing apparatus so that the information recording medium enters the cartridge and is separated from the information processing apparatus together with the cartridge.
According to this system, the information recording medium is removed from the cartridge in the recording and reproduction mode. If several information recording media are respectively loaded in information processing devices a number of empty cartridges corresponding to the number of the devices or media must be kept on or near the operation desks. When the information recording media are removed from the devices, it is troublesome to locate the specific empty cartridges corresponding to the respective media. When the information recording media are held in the cartridges at random, it is quite difficult and inconvenient to locate a desired information recording medium for later use.
An information processing apparatus has been developed to process information stored in or read out from an information recording medium held in a cartridge after inserting the cartridge medium in the apparatus. In the information processing apparatus of this type, the cartridge inserted into a cartridge insertion port is conveyed to a predetermined position and the cases housing the cartridge are separated to partially expose the information recording medium.